England enjoy an eight-goal evening stroll

England fans chanted 'Rio, Rio, what's the score?' as Roy Hodgson's side rattled in goal after goal against a team who would struggle in the Conference. It was England's biggest win since overcoming Turkey in 1984. San Marino, succumbing to their 51st consecutive defeat, were so embarrassingly limited in ability and ambitions that celebrations should be restrained. Yet there were plenty of positives for Hodgson; Jermain Defoe was lively in attack, scoring twice, while Leighton Baines was probably man-of-the-match with his purposeful runs down the left.

Frank Lampard marshalled midfield well while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain kept driving towards the San Marino box. Wayne Rooney gave a disciplined performance in the number 10 role. Ashley Young scored a magnificent goal; while Daniel Sturridge came off the bench to show that Hodgson has attacking options. Although Montenegro eventually beat Moldova last night, England will still travel across the Adriatic in good heart. All talk of Ferdinand was forgotten, barring the fans' toxic words about the absent centre-half. Hope Al-Jazeera had the sound down.

After this undemanding, very successful workout, England now undergo two days of light training in Rimini before flying out to Podgorica.

Hodgson had clearly selected his starting XI against Fifa's joint lowest-ranked side with the more daunting challenge of Montenegro in mind: his two centurions, Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole, began on the bench while Glen Johnson was rested completely, protecting a sore toe. They were hardly missed.

Having lost Theo Walcott to a groin problem that will see him out for seven to 10 days, Hodgson had still picked a team full of pace with Kyle Walker attacking from right-back, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Young out wide with Defoe up top. They were too quick for San Marino, their tempo too high. They used the flanks well, particularly the left where Leighton Baines was excellent, playing a part in three of England's five first-half goals.

It was all rather surreal. This was an away game with 90 per cent England fans filling the Adriatic equivalent of the Withdean. Another 300 supporters took up free perches on the slopes outside the ground. "Bank side, bank side, give us a song,'' chanted those inside the ground.

Before kick-off, two men in medieval dress holding crossbows presented the referee with the ball which was soon gifted to England by the hosts. It was like a practice match, white-shirted attack against blue-shirted defence. Joe Hart received huge ironic cheers on the rare occasions he touched the ball. England's keeper really only raised his hands in response to chants of "Joe Hart, Joe Hart give us a wave". Miranda Hart could have played.

England took the lead after 12 minutes. Baines had been making good ground down the left, creating previous chances, and this time drilling in a low cross that Alessandro Della Valle, a bank clerk, turned past Simoncini. It was the 125th goal that Simoncini had conceded and his shoddy record would make even grimmer reading by the end.

England doubled their lead after 29 minutes. Walker made a break down the right and found Oxlade-Chamberlain, who cut inside. Having exchanged passes with Rooney, the Arsenal winger showed composure and balance in expertly placing the ball past Simoncini, an accountant whose numeracy skills were coming in useful.

Hodgson promised that England would not be complacent against such lowly opposition. Reading a few paragraphs of the programme would have ensured against that. It celebrated San Marino's shock goal in 1993, with Stuart "Pearce falling asleep, [Davide] Gualtieri scoring that incredible goal in the general disbelief of English supporters stabbed in their soul by the smallest team in Europe".

Twenty years on, this speck on the Italian landscape was being crushed.

England added three in the final 10 minutes of the half. Rooney had been dropping deep and sweeping some passes around. He suddenly bustled forward and crossed from the left. Oxlade-Chamberlain worked the ball back to the unmarked Defoe, who had a simple finish.

It was all so easy. Even when a few England fans sighed after Young lost the ball, the Manchester United winger responded a few moments later with a magnificent strike from 25 yards, the ball flying past Simoncini. England still had one more in store, again with Baines to the fore, setting up Lampard for a side-footed finish. His 28th international goal took him alongside Steve Bloomer and Vivian Woodward in the England scoring charts.

The scoring soon resumed in the second half. When Tom Cleverley was scythed down by Davide Simoncini, Rooney curled the free-kick over the wall and past the diving Aldo Simoncini. Hodgson began looking towards Tuesday, removing Rooney for Daniel Sturridge and Cleverley for Leon Osman.

Such was England's dominance that the fans willed on the centre-halves like Lescott to get forward. When the Manchester City defender strolled upfield, they exhorted him to shoot.

England fans were going through all their songs, singing some more abuse about Ferdinand but also showing their support for the troubled Paul Gascoigne.

The game still occupied their attention. San Marino did finally do something of note after 64 minutes, Andy Selva winning a corner to much merriment from the English hordes. They even applauded loudly when Enrico Cibelli was taken off; he was not the first local barman they had seen that day.

Hodgson made his final change, removing Lampard after another good display, although due allowance must be made for the poverty of the opposition. England made it seven when Young crossed and Sturridge, who had just headed against the post, was more accurate this time at the far post. "Rio, Rio, what's the score?" chanted the England fans.

Defoe completed the scoring with his second of the night after 77 minutes.